#taking a kitten without fearing his parents...

[zu-is-here]

* A serrade petit cat appears! (ò_ó")

[emacrow]

Damian and the Dumpster baby.

Damian was doing patrols, with a bit of a minor rescuing and feeding the strays animals until he heard a noise from a dumpster.

Tonight was going to be a storm coming, and he rather check up on the strays, feed them, fixing any of the secure hiding places he put out for them for rain occasionally, and try to smuggle 1 or 6 into the barn again without Father knowing. Alfred can keep a secret sometimes.

Jumping on the edge of the dumpster to see a plastic bag tied up on the pile of trash with something squirming inside, alive obviously. Oh if this another group of puppies, he going to find the culprit himself and break their kneecaps and arms this time.

Easily untying the plastic bag and opening to reveal.. a little baby.

Not a kitten or a puppy, a living breathing human baby, cut and tied umbilical and a pale with a unique birth mark in a shape of a lichtenberg from his tiny hand fading to his chest.

This..

This was out of Damian's comfort line.

He had dealt with saving animals, people, children, hell even toddlers. He never dealt with a baby before much less a newborn.

He could panic later as he hear the sounds of a storm brewing. Carefully picking up the baby by the back of the head and and by the body, using his cape to as a blanket to cover the obvious nudity of the baby. Climbing onto his Red Robin theme Doom Buggy.

Taking care of a baby is no different then taking care of a baby animal, right?

.....

.....

.....

.....

He got caught after 5 month and a half by Alfred during feeding Danyal time, while scolded him about hiding the baby instead of coming to him.

He had a good reason to though, last time he told Alfred about the last newest addition, Bruce sended the Jafar the Ligor to a sanctuary. He still felt betrayed by that.(even though now Jafar is happily spending his days with the other mixed big cat breed but still)

He done a good enough job taking care of Danyal, even though he had to secretly look up baby stuff, medicine, clothes, a soft bedded cot and diapers.(the smell was much less worse then the sewer) he considered himself a great care-taker.(even though in the back of his mind, he feared that he might had unlocked that genetic adopt-bat bait traits that Dick warned him about)

Damian had gotten.. a bit attached, considering the idea of putting danyal in orphanage or a foster care wasn't ideal afterall the corrupted ones that Father and him had broken through over the years left a bad gut feeling if he had actually gone through with his plan. Danyal was one of his babies, only not covered in fur, scales, or a shell.

And he didn't do everything all on his own, Cass was the only who figured it out, kept it a secret and help out.. then steph found out... and Jason, Tim and Duke unfortunately found out after Cass and steph snuck danyal in the manor for a nice bath.

Only reason Dick didn't found out because everyone know he can't keep a secret away from Bruce's ear for long after found out Jason's new girlfriend was the new therapist in Gotham, and telling Bruce would feed his adopt-holic again and he end up having baby fever. (Tim didn't tell him what that word meant but he did look it up in a baby care guide book for new parents. And EW)

They were going to wait it out til Danyal was at least toddler age before sneaking him in the manor to gatekeep gaslight girlboss Father into thinking he already adopted him. (Steph's words, not his)

[aldryrththerainbowheart]

Medieval knight!Jason Todd who's a long-lost son of the Wayne earldom. He took up a crusade when he was younger but was believed to be dead. Only to reveal himself several years later during the swordsmanship tournament hosted by Wayne family. Just as Dick was lying in the sand coughing up blood next to his discarded sword, his unknown challenger took off his scarlet helmet and the entire court erupted in chaos.

That was years ago now. Since then, Sir Todd made amends with his family, but they are by no means close. Jason managed to gain a title and a fief on his own, independent of his family and he takes no small pride in that. These days he and his merry group of loyal warriors take up mercenary work and guardianship if the person has enough coin.

When the local baron hired him to be a personal guard for his daughter, Jason was sure that would be an easy job for a good amount of gold. The red knight soon found out that being your bodyguard is not as easy as he thought. You were quite the escape artist. Whenever a banquet or an audience was too boring for your liking, you simply vanished, and Jason had to search for you high and low to drag you back. It made him grind his jaw and caused his temper to flare more than once.

You were thrilled and appalled that someone spoke to you so crassly and brazenly. Other soldiers your father assigned to you treated you with the utmost respect and gave up after a few months. Not the red knight. He proved himself to be just as stubborn as you, if not more. At this point, it wasn't about money anymore. He just couldn't stand the thought of some spoiled daughter of a noble getting the better of him. Jason had no qualms about throwing you over his shoulder and carrying you back to the castle, while the plate of his armor dug uncomfortably into your stomach.

After six months of this, Jason was fed up with your nonsense and was ready to collect his gold and disappear for good. You were hiding from the baroness, some nonsense about dress fitting or a dance lesson. Jason was just returning from the training grounds when he saw you sitting on the ground near the barn, playing with a fresh litter of kittens. You knew the cat and the kittens well, and judging how other animals treated you it wasn't your first time there. You met his gaze and winked at him, placing a finger to your lips. Your first shared secret.

After that day, your personal guard Jason somehow became your partner in crime. He looked the other way sometimes or followed in a safe distance. You fascinated him, and somehow, before he even knew it, he started to fall for you. He wanted to deny it. Jason reminded himself time and time again why it was a horrible idea. However, he couldn't keep himself from falling more and more for you.

Another day, another one of your daring escapes. This time was, different, though. You took some of your belongings and your horse while leaving a letter to say your goodbyes. Jason did not care for exploring the feelings of absolute horror that grasped his heart at the thought of you disappearing from his life. He immediately set out to search for you. You couldn't escape too far and he knew where to go. He knew you better than anyone.

When he caught up with you, you were residing in a tavern in a small cozy village near the edge of your father's land. You were always annoyed and scathing whenever he came to bring you back home, but this time, you were just sad, almost tearful. Jason demanded an explanation for your unusual disappearance, and the one he received almost made him shatter the pitcher in his hand. The courting season was swiftly approaching.

He knew of your fear and unwillingness to get pawned off for alliance and title. He was also aware that your parents were adamant in marrying you off before grow out of marrigable age.

Which is why your loyal guardian made you an offer. You stay in the village for its upcoming festival, relishing in last days of freedom without responsibility, before returning home. This offer served not only you, but Jason as well. He wanted to revel in your presence before returning to your old life where he was the knight and you were the noble.

In hinsight, he should've realized that was a mistake, because in these last few days he became aware of how smitten he'd become. It was all too easy to forget his duties when you were pretending to be a simple village girl.

You peroused the stalls, gawking at everything you saw and chatting his ear off. He watched you trying to eat the commoner food with your bare hands, hilariously failing. When they arrived in the square where the dance was held, you haven't hesitated before grabbing his hand and pulling him for a dance. Jason wanted to protest, but your bright smile convinced him. He twirled you amongst the townsfolk before he noticed familiar faces heading your way. The baron's soldiers, no doubt they were looking for you.

Quicker than you could react, Jason pulled you into a darkened corner, covering your body with his, pressing your lips together. He kissed you until he knew the guards were gone. He pulled away to apologize but before he could say anything you grabbed him by the lapels of his cloak and pressed your lips together again. You kissed him with sweetness and desperation that stole breath from his lungs, and Jason had no choice but to melt into you. He wrapped his arms around you, pressing you impossibly close to him, your hands slipped from his cheeks to his hair.

He indulged little longer before letting voice of reason win, pulling away. Jason reminded you that you shouldn't be doing this, reminded you of your respective postitions. You didn't listened, instead, you uttered words Jason both wished and dreaded to hear.

You loved him.

He asked of you to never say these words to him again, and without another word he took your hand and led you back home as he tried to ignore your quiet sobs.

Despite your promises, he catches you trying to climb out over one of the garden walls during your courting ball. Jason wanted to strangle you, not that he enjoyed watching you dance with all those idiot nobles while all he wanted to do was to take you and carry you somewhere where there only be the two of you. This can't go on much longer, he has to end things tonight. Jason takes on a quest, to slay creatures in the southern forest. Surely you'll understand eventually...that the distance is good for both of you.

Months go by, and the pain the red knight felt when leaving you felt bearable. The other soldiers in his unit were curious as to why the infamous red knight left such prestigious position. Some speculated it was because the position was too peaceful and the dead son of Wayne was hungry for blood. If only they knew the true reason he left, but it was for the better. No one needs to know. One day, a messenger arrived, bearing a letter that stated there was an attack on the baron's family. The baron and his wife were badly injured and you were missing.

How was this possible?! You were supposed to be safe here! Without missing even a single second, Jason rode his horse tirelessly to the city. He will find you, and whoever took you will pay for every scratch he finds on you with their life. When he rescues you from your kidnappers, you're barely conscious. Gently, he pics up your weakened body and carefully carries you over the dead bodies lying everywhere. When he brings you back home, as he always done, he is adamant to never leave your side, no matter what takes. With heart full of determination, he asks, no, demands your hand in marriage. His name, his fief, his sword and his hearth, all of it is yours.

The baron is wise enough to give Sir Jason his blessings. After all, who's better for his daughter than a man who is able to set the world ablaze to safe her?

Art: Crown; Katerina Kirillova

Tags: @thinkingofausername, @fir3flytv, @ivysangel, @cherrrysstuff, @xxgoblin-dumplingxx, @mostly-imagines , @applejuicebegood

[spacebarbarianweird]

The Dead, the Half-Dead and the Undead

Synopsis: Baby Alethaine is ten and, apparently, the thing she is a dhampir isn't the only problem Astarion and Tiriel have to face.

Tags: dadstarion, dhampirs, necromancy

Alethaine's age: 10

Thanks @queenofthespacesquids for beta-reading!

Read on AO3

Masterlist

Headcanons

Astarion immerses himself in one of his books. It is a complex text that has been written by some ancient magic who had probably been completely insane

Necromancy is an interesting subject, but damn difficult for those without an innate aptitude for it.

It's still midday, but out there in the underground part of Daggerlake, it doesn't matter. The city is divided into two parts, above ground and underground. The city is mostly populated

by dwarves, halflings, and humans but for some reason it feels like home for Astarion.

Besides, the town dwellers had decided they'd better have a vampire of their own than be threatened by other undead.

Astarion is still puzzled by this. Yes, these people should be grateful to him and Tiriel for saving them from a particularly nasty fairy pact. But letting them stay? Tiriel, a half-elven warrior, is one thing, but him, a vampire? Do they really want to share the town with him?

But they are fine. They treat him like others would treat some retired wizard or a former mercenary. But he knows he must be careful - one mistake and the neighbors will remember who Astarion truly is and that there is a reason why he never goes to the upper town in the daylight.

And there is a complication Astarion always has to take into account.

“Dad! Dad!”

Astarion looks up and sees ten-year-old Alethaine. She is upside down, but the hem of her dress brushes the ceiling, ignoring gravity. There's a bit of forest dirt on the girl's shoes, and he can distinguish the smell of wood.

“I told you not to go alone,” Astarion says. When she was younger, Astarion often found it difficult to parent her. The moment she asked something or started crying, he was ready to do anything just to make her feel better. It took him time to get a grip and establish boundaries. He is her father. If he wants the best for her, he has to be strict sometimes. Even if the response is tears and anger. 

“I didn’t go to the woods! I was in the meadow. It’s still in the town!”

Fair enough. The meadow is a favorite place for town kids since it is indeed the forest but their asses won’t get whooped by their parents.

“So, what is it, princess?”

Alethaine jumps on the floor with a soft “thump” and she inclines toward him making direct eye contact. Astarion still wonders sometimes if her eyes black because his eyes used to be, too, or because of her dhampirism. 

Dhampir.

Half-undead. Does Alethaine even understand what it truly means to her? Town kids don’t really care and adore her ability to walk on ceilings and steal sweets for them. But will it last long? She is ten. When she and her friends grow up, they will notice things that make her different. Will they start fearing her the same way town dogs start howling if Alethaine or Astarion pass by? Will they avoid her? Will they force her out of town to go seek her own kind?

“I want a kitten.”

“Princess, last time I checked cats don’t really like us, either.”

Alethaine sits beside him and forces him to close the book. “No, you don’t understand! A week ago, I found a kitten! She didn’t like me at first but I’ve been bringing her food. And today Wyv let me hold her! She doesn’t mind me at all!”

“Wyv?” 

“She is albino! She has red eyes and white fur! I think she went missing from her litter. Or maybe her mother's cat forced her to go. Please! Pretty please! She is so tiny, she won’t make it on her own! And I will take care of her!”

Alethaine stares at him with puppy eyes and her elven ears twitch with anticipation.

“Mum won’t mind, she will be happy there is an animal that doesn’t react to me as if I am some evil entity!”

“Princess, there is a very big chance this poor creature will run away once it senses me in the house. Last time I checked I am still undead.”

“And I am half-undead! Wyv got used to me, she will get used to you, too!”

Astarion flicks the tip of her nose. “But if your mother asks, you forced me to say “yes”.

Alethaine squeals and wraps her hands around his neck forcing him to drop the book. Astarion chuckles when he feels the soft prickling of her teeth on his skin. 

“I will be right back!” Alethaine rushes outside, slamming the door.

He had 200 years of pure misery and it still hurts him to see how much was taken from him. But then… Thirty years of something else. Something he hadn’t wished to have.

A woman to hold and to love who is brave enough to trust and care. 

Fifteen years of adventures, when they could go wherever they wanted and do whatever they desired. Then, they were offered to stay in Daggerlake, a small town near the Unicorn Rim.

Home was a concept unfamiliar to both of them and Tiriel sometimes begged him to return to the road.

But he was adamant. He needed a home. He needed a place to stay. To own. He wanted a place to stash all the artifacts and books they'd found, a comfortable bed to sleep and make love. 

Tiriel wanted it, too, though didn’t admit it.

And five years later the thing he’d least expected happened.

He barely remembers how it was - he was so drunk on blood, he felt his undead heart beating. Then he found Tiriel and dragged her home to pin her to the bed.

As a result…

Alethaine.

His daughter. His flesh and blood. 

Sometimes he treats Alethaine as a matter of course. Most men in Daggerlake have children, and usually more than one. But sometimes Astarion gets distracted and forgets where he is, and only comes back to reality when Alethaine taps him on the shoulder and then Astarion looks at her in awe, wondering how he even deserves her.

Ten years. Such a tiny piece of time but Alethaine’s whole life. Astarion can already see the woman she is becoming. The woman he will be proud of, the woman who will have the freedom he had to fight for.

Suddenly, Astarion realizes Alethaine has been missing for far too long. The meadow isn’t really far away and it’s already sunset - Astarion feels it.

Astarion locks the house and goes looking for his daughter.

It's already night when he gets to the meadow. Alethaine is there sitting on her knees with her head bowed.

“Alethaine, what did we talk about not being outside after sunset?”

She doesn’t answer. Astarion comes closer and sees that her face is red as if she has just stopped crying.

“Princess, what happened?” 

“It’s my fault” she sniffs. “I should have taken her with me right away,” her shoulders tremble and Alethaine bursts into tears once again.

Astarion kneels beside her, not knowing what to do. He still hasn’t learned how to react to her tears properly - so he does the only thing that works all the time with both her and Tiriel and also works for him.

He hugs her.

Through her muffled cries Astarion manages to understand that the albino kitten got out of the shelter and someone kicked her with such effort she died instantly. Now the kitten’s body lies in a small hole in the ground with her mouth wide open and stains of blood on the white fur.

'It's not your fault, it’s the fault of whoever did this, not yours.’

“No, you don’t understand! I could have taken her with me! If you had said “no”, I would have given her to the neighbors! And now she is dead! She is dead because of me!” Now Alethaine almost screams with all the sorrow a ten-year-old girl is capable of.

Astarion hugs his daughter tighter. He often stays with her on his own when Tiriel leaves to do some adventuring job - and usually, Astarion has no trouble. But right now the only thing he needs is for Tiriel to be at home. Because she can find the right words. She always can. Because what exactly does he need to tell Alethaine? It’s the first time she’s witnessed death. And it was the vilest example possible. 

An innocent creature was killed for fun. 

Well, maybe he should find that person and break their legs. It won’t help but maybe it will make Alethaine feel better. 

“Alethaine, let’s go home.” 

Alethaine doesn’t answer. 

“Princess, come on,” he repeats.

His vampiric senses feel that something is wrong. As if something eerie, and unnatural has started to happen.

Astarion glances at the dead kitten.

Then the kitten moves.

“What in hell…,” he mutters. 

It opens its eyes which glow an unnatural green color. The paws twitch, and the mouth opens showing small fangs. 

“Dad! Look! Wyv is alive! She was just wounded! And I thought she was dead!” Alethaine exclaims, grabbing the dead kitten. “We need to show her to the healer!”

Alethaine’s eyes glow with the same eerie shade of green.

Necromancy.

Alethaine has just used the “Rise Animal” spell.

A spell so difficult it takes mages years to learn it. 

Alethaine drops the dead kitten on the ground as if it were a poisonous snake.

“No… What is wrong with her, Dad?”

The kitten immediately sits up and freezes. Waiting for orders. 

“She is dead, isn’t she?” Alethaine sniffs. The kitten doesn't move, staring at her with its resurrected eyes.

Necromancer. If being a dhampir wasn't enough for her. Necromancers have always been outcasts with their abilities to raise the dead and cast the darkest of spells.

Alethaine is one of them. Twice an outcast.

“Alethaine '' Astarion makes her face him. “Listen to me carefully. There must be strings, connecting you with the kitten. Like a puppet doll. You need to cut them.”

“But she will die”

“It is already dead. it’s not a life. Put it to rest.”

Alethaine wipes tears and the weird glowing fades. Alethaine concentrates, looks at her hands, and then makes a movement with her fingers as if she were tearing threads.

The dead kitten falls on the ground like a puppet.

Alethaine sits down tired and exhausted. Resurrecting a creature, even small animals, is a difficult spell requiring much energy even from adult mages. For a ten year old it’s the equivalent of hiking in the mountains. 

Astarion takes Alethaine in their hands.

“Dad?”

“Hm?”

“Will you and mum still love me if I am a necromancer?”

“Of course, we will.”

“You can’t get necrotic damage, can you?”

“Well, I am very undead myself. So fear not, you won’t harm me even accidentally”

“And mum? She is mortal, she can get hurt.”

Astarion sighs. Damn, ‘Tiriel should come back sooner, I can’t answer all those questions’.

“You won’t hurt her. Don’t worry.”

Silence. The little dhampir doesn’t believe him. Alethaine sniffs again.

“Did it hurt when you were resurrected?”

Astarion has to make an effort to keep himself composed. It is still traumatic. Still hurts. Two hundred years of pain. Tortures. Isolation. Transformation.

“I am a vampire, not a ghoul. Ghouls don’t feel anything. They are already dead. you resurrected the flesh but Wyv didn’t feel anything.”

“Are you sure?”

“I am. Alethaine, promise me you won't try to practice alone, all right? No one must know you are a necromancer. People won’t understand. ”

The rest of the walk home is passed in silence. That evening Alethaine refuses to eat, and all attempts to cheer her up fail. She's heartbroken and scared, and whatever is weighing on her mind, she just can't process it. 

He needs to think something up. The sooner, the better. Before Alethaine harms herself or someone in the town.

**

Alethaine can't sleep. 

It's been a week and she feels terrible. There are whispers on the edge of her mind, dark and frightening, they call to her, they promise her something. 

Alethaine can't shut them up.

She sees threads stretching from her fingers to the dead animals. Worse, she feels the threads leading to living people.

Cause them necrotic damage, the darkness whispers. It is going to be fun! Strike fear in them, make them scream, make them cry! And drink their blood if that’s to your liking!

Tiriel didn’t say anything when she heard what had happened. But Alethaine sees uneasiness in her eyes. Of course, she is afraid! There are strings attached to her as well, one or two necrotic spells and she is dead!

Astarion left two days later - he said he would try to look for something. Alethaine cried and begged to take her with him, but he refused. 

Alethaine has locked herself in her room, barely leaving. But the silence and solitude are the fuel for nightmares. For the darkness. For tempting whispers.

The little dhampir gets out of her bed and goes to her parents’ bedroom. Tiriel is fast asleep under a blanket. Peaceful and quiet.

Alethaine fumbles at the door. She is ten, not three! She is too old to sleep with her mother. But the thought of spending one more night alone with those whispers feels awful.

“Kitten? Are you alright?”

“Mum… can… I…”

“Come here.”

Alethaine gets under the blanket and her mother’s arms immediately wrap around her.

“I am afraid,” Alethaine finally admits. 

“I know, Kitten. Dad will think something up.”

“What if I hurt you while he is away?”

“You won’t”

“How can you know that? I am a necromancer!” 

Alethaine turns around to see her mother’s face. 

“Alethaine, you are also a dhampir and I don’t remember you ever trying to drain me. And you’ve had your fangs since you were five months old.”

Alethaine relaxes and hugs mother back. 

“Mum, did you always know dad was a vampire?”

“Hm, I learned it on the third day I think. Woke up to him trying to bite me. He is lucky I’d already liked him.”

“And you weren’t afraid to be with him?”

“No. Your father was a troubled person, not easy to handle. But he was worth it. I know you are scared. People don’t take it easy when someone can cast dark spells. But it doesn’t mean you have to be alone or be a bad person, even if it’s expected. You will meet people who will accept you for who you are. Who will love you. One of the kindest men I knew was a warlock with a devil pact. Things aren’t always what they seem.”

Your mother’s blood is so warm! You’ve tasted it once, remember? When you were dying of bloodlust! Bite her, take what is rightfully yours!

As if hearing the intrusive thoughts, Tiriel hugs her daughter tighter. 

“Whatever happens, we will always be with you. We will help you, we will support you, and no matter what happens, you can always trust us. Even if you do something really bad. ”

Alethaine sniffs and buries her nose in her mother’s neck. 

The darkness steps away, and the girl falls asleep.

She doesn’t have nightmares for the first time that week.

“Alethaine,” she feels a soft tap on her shoulder. “Wake up.”

Alethaine opens her eyes and sees she is still in her parents’ bed. Tiriel, fully dressed, stands at the doors.

“Hm?”

“Dad is back. Could you go down to the basement?”

Alethaine, still half asleep, dresses up and goes down. Her senses immediately tell her Astarion isn’t alone. 

“Hello, princess,” Astarion strokes her head the moment she gets closer.

A man in a dirty red robe sits on the wooden bench. His head is bald and his right eye is missing. Instead, there is a blue gemstone with intricate runes. 

“Astarion, don’t you tell me she is a dhampir.”

“Oh, she very much is! Alethaine, this is Nris. He is going to be your teacher.”

“Astarion, I deeply appreciate you for saving me from that devil but I am not morally ready to teach a dhampir necromancy!”

“I doubt you will be able to pay me. My services are expensive. And I can always sell you back to the devils. I need you to teach my daughter necromancy. End of story.”

“For fuck sake… How old are you?”

Alethaine steps back. “T-ten”

“Fuck, this is the worst age ever! In a year she will hit puberty and it’s bad even without dhampirism and necromancy!”

Alethaine looks at her father.

“Dad, I don't like him.”

“He is a necromancer, princess. People aren’t supposed to like them.”

“Astarion, I knew I shouldn’t have made deals with you! A devil is better than a vampire! At least with devils, I know what to expect! Alethaine, you know what your father did? He took advantage of my desperate situation and forced me to make a pact with him.”

“Nris, don’t be stupid. It’s a working agreement!” Astarion grins. “And I can summon your former master any time, and, I fear, this time he will be harsher on you.”

Nris curses again, and Alethaine makes a note to use one of the slurs next time she gets into a fight. 

The necromancer stretches his right hand, covered in weird tattoos. “Come here, Alethaine.”

Nris sends a shiver down her spine, but Astarion only nudges his daughter slightly, forcing her to approach the mage.

“Dhampir, necromancer, and all this with Fey blood. You did pick the wild cards out of Tasha’s cauldron. What exactly did you do to make your father save my ass from the devils?”

“I-I revived a kitten.”

Nris flinches. “I hate sorcerers to my guts! I’ve spent decades learning how to revive small animals - and you did it just like that! But good for you that you didn’t resurrect a human because if you had, the townsfolk would have burnt you alive. I was trying to make the darkness talk to me and it still doesn’t answer back but it calls upon you like an old friend. Life is truly unfair, Alethaine Ancunin.”

Alethaine is silent, unable to stop staring at the gemstone in the eye socket. The runes move resembling trapped flies. 

“Very well, let’s start from learning the basics!”

**

Astarion leaves the basement. When he glances back he sees Alethaine drawing runes on the floor while Nris is giving her the lecture.

Astarion is tired. He didn’t have time to rest during the week, and besides, the worry of leaving a ten-year-old necromancer who didn’t understand how to control her powers alone with Tiriel plagued him like a nightmare.

Nris doesn’t look like the most decent or talented mage but he is bound to him by a pact and doesn’t have any desire to return to the devils. So, he is going to live in the secret basement under their house and teach Alethaine as much as he can. 

Wild cards out of Tasha’s dungeon. Yes, that’s true. An unlikely child with dangerous skills. 

Astarion finds Tiriel in the inner yard, throwing axes into the wooden wall. He approaches her and hugs them from behind, placing his chin on her shoulder.

“Tired?” she asks.

“Can I take your blood?”

She touches his curls with her tender fingers. “Of course.”

Astarion indulges his fangs in her neck. Blood streams down his throat, calming him down. Tiriel falters. He immediately releases her neck and takes her in his hands to carry Tiriel to the bedroom.

When they get there they lie together on the bed, their fingers intertwined. Due to sharpened hearing Astarion feels a distant echo from the basement. It seems like Alethaine and Nris have started a screaming match.

“You really didn’t warn him, did you?” Tiriel asks, drawing invisible symbols on his back.

“Maybe. Kind of.”

“Well, at least I won’t be the only mortal in the house.”

“Tiriel, don’t make him your drinking pal, I beg you!” Astarion laughs.

“What? A mug of ale after a difficult day hasn't hurt anyone yet.” Tiriel touches the tip of his ear. “Meditate. I will be with you.”

Astarion nods. Thirty years of happy memories are enough to give him bliss. He concentrates and lets the flow of memories take him to reverie.

Astarion holds Alethaine for the first time. A newborn girl is probably still in pain after being pushed into the world. He hears her fast heartbeat as her living heart pumps half-undead blood through her veins.

He cradles her in his arms. Alethaine is so warm, so delicate, so innocent. It’s not yet clear if she is a dhampir but Astarion knows he loves her. It’s a different form of affection, unknown to him. A selfless love for a child, a desire to make sure she won’t endure the same hardships as he did.

And she must not know.

Astarion gives himself a promise. His daughter will never know about his past. it will never taint her. The pain, the touches, the humiliation, the violence - she will not know a word of it. 

Her mindset will be free of that dirt and of that darkness. He won’t pass it. 

“Thank you, my love,” Astarion whispers. “This is a gift.”

--

Tag list

@tugoslovenka @marcynomercy @wintersire @vixstarria @not-so-lost-after-all @ashiro20 @theearthsfinalconfession @herstxrgirl @starlight-ipomoea @micropoe10 @astarion-imagine-archive @veillsar @elora-the-slutty-songstress @fayeriess @lumienyx @tallymonster @caitlincat-95 @tragedybunny @valeprati @lynnlovesthestars @marina-and-the-memes @waking-electric @ayselluna @connorsui @asterordinary @darkarchangel96 @locallegume

[sirenpearldust]

Mating bond - part one

series masterlist ⋆ part two

Pair: Eris x Reader

Word count: 674

Warnings: angst, friends to lovers

‘Why? Truly what have I done to deserve this?’ Eris laughed mirthlessly questioning what he’d done to deserve such a fate.

As if being born into that damned family wasn’t enough the mother also tried to take the one he loved from him.

The only one keeping him sane after all these torturous years.

Struggling to comprehend what he’d just heard he rose from the leather chair he’d sat in. Sweeping back his hair he tried to keep his feelings under control, to not let the fire within him soar and burn the place down.

He was losing his mind.

His inner peace destroyed, fear begun seizing him.

Walking around the room aimlessly he tried to think of nothing - to forget what he’d just heard. Anything to not slip into the madness that seemed to call to him.

The dark abyss waiting for him to loose himself within.

Is that how father felt when he found out about his mother and Helion?

Tamlin about Feyre and Rhysand?

Their possessiveness suddenly made sense - their insanity too.

Tormented he faced one of the many big windows in his office seeking solace in the moonlight. Looking for solutions how he could prevent her from leaving him, of him taking her. He would give up his court for her. He would murder that bastard mate of hers like he had killed his own. He would do anything to keep her.

Watching him stood the woman he loved rooted in the place she confessed - unaware of his thoughts.

Clutching her red satin dress she tried fighting back her sobs while tears ran down her face. Anguish and rage filled her.

Had she destroyed her only chance of having him? Would he hate her as much as she hated herself? Would he have her even though she was bonded to the Night Courts Spymaster?

‘No’ he roared, whirling around, his blazing eyes locking onto hers.

This time will be different. I will be a better man.

Approaching her with determined strides, he tilted her chin up, softly wiping away her tears with his shaky hands. ‘You are mine! I will kill anyone that dares to take you from me. No mother damned bond will stop me from having you or that cursed mate of yours,’ he seethed.

She nodded offering him a tearful and wry smile. Hope filling her chest of him accepting her despite what she’d revealed.

Somewhat satisfied he released a shaky breath, resting his forehead against hers.

Afraid he might turn into his father he needed to remind himself that she loved him. That she would never betray him or leave him.

He wanted to be strong for her knowing traitorous thoughts and actions were the downfall of his parents marriage.

Sensing his inner turmoil she put her hands onto his in an attempt to calm him.

Locking eyes, she whispered softly ’Eris’.

Tears fell as he closed his eyes at her voice and his trembling lips betrayed a whimper,

‘ Please don’t leave me’, he pleaded.

Her eyes filled with terror, ‘I won’t ever leave you! I love you Eris!’, she cried this time not trying to be quiet.

Breathing hard he kissed her, putting everything he felt into the kiss hoping she would know of his feelings for her.

They both broke down, sinking to the floor by the sofa, devoid of their strength to stand.

Embracing one another tightly they sobbed.

‘Eris you are my soul. I can not breathe without you let alone dream of ever leaving you for a useless mate. You are the only one who loves me unconditionally, the one who never rejected any part of me. This will be just another obstacle we will overcome.’

She kissed his face, cradling him to her chest and rocking him gently.They continued exchanging tender whispers of their love.

Bathed in the dim office, only the moon and the stars bore witness to the moment of their tender love.

Main Taglist: @bubybubsters

Mating Bond - Taglist: @sidthedollface2 @bubybubsters @esposadomd @fightmedraco @cat-or-kitten @thisblogisaboutabook @stqrgirlies-blog @thegirlintheshadows101 @azrielsbabyg @bunnyredgirl

[st-kitten]

707 pt.3

← previous chapter christmas special

A/N: um... i've got two small special effects for this part, sooooo see if u can use them at the right moment :")

WARNINGS: trauma, implied death by accident, a good cry honestly, violence (intended IM A GIRLS GIRL BUT SOME THINGS ARE OKA-), that shlong, sloppenheimer (kidding: oral sex, both receiving), age gap (newsflash 😒) (reader is obv 20+ and toji is idk 38?)

"can we call y/n? for cake?" asked megumi.

"i'm not sure she wants to see anybody today, kid," replied a distressed toji

"but it's my birthday..."

toji couldn't resist megumi's puppy eyes. but he figured that if there was anyone you'd listen to, it would be him. it was worth a try.

both of them stepped out of their apartment, hearing music coming from your apartment. toji felt his breath returning to his lungs. music meant you were okay. or at least alive. your singing got clearer as the two of them stood outside your door. he tried knocking but it was left unanswered. toji wondered whether it was just a recording playing, so he pressed his ear on the door. no, that's definitely her. open the fucking door, y/n!

all toji had as a sign that you were inside were was you were singing.

[mention: easy on me, by adele, again for the lyrics ft.]

"i know there is hope in these waters..." is she crying?

"but I can't bring myself to swim, when i am drowning in this silence..." your voice croaked in the end. she's definitely crying. what the fuck did i do...

toji looked around the lobby. seeing it empty, he grabbed your doorknob and pressed hard on it, tearing it apart, breaking it. he gave it to megumi. he barged inside your barely lit, dark living room, only to find you sitting on the floor, head against the sofa, looking at the ceiling. broken glasses and torn papers surrounded you as you sang at the top of your lungs, voice overcome with some kind of pain that toji couldn't understand, but just feel.

"you can't deny how hard I've tried i changed who I was to put you both first but now I give up..."

"i was still a child..."

"so go eas-" hearing the door blast open, you stopped, whipping your head in its direction.

you were about to bark at toji when you saw the look on his face. fear... then you saw megumi, holding your doorknob, standing behind his father.

toji saw your grief-stricken face. the haunting melody of whatever heart-wrenching song you were singing still echoed in his ears, reaching out from the walls like a desperate cry for help. your disheveled hair clung to your face, a stark contrast to the carefree spirit that used to reside next door.

"w-what are you d-"

"what happened?"

toji treaded carefully around the broken glass, telling megumi to wait where he stood. he knelt down beside you, pushing away the small shards.

you sat there, too horrified to say anything. why is he here? a small shaky breath left your mouth, the rest bubbling up like lava, ready to erupt.

"i don't know what i did baby, but i'm sorr-" toji's apology went unheard as tears streamed down your face and a cry tore through the air like a wounded animal's howl. it was guttural, unrestrained, and laced with a pain so visceral that toji felt it in his bones. the sound wasn't pretty; it was raw and unfiltered, like the ugly side of life laid bare for anyone in earshot.

without a second thought, toji enveloped you in a tight embrace, pulling your trembling shoulders into him. he sat on the floor next to you, one leg folded down and the other tucked to his chest. he felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine as you sobbed into him.

"it's okay..." was all he could say. even he knew that it wasn't about fixing everything; it was about being there in whatever storm was raining down on you. he looked at megumi, unsure about how his son would take seeing you break down. the child stood a silent witness to all of it, his eyes glistening slightly.

"why is it okay?" you muttered. "for parents to be your first bullies..."

"what... stopped them," you sniffled, "from just listening to me?"

toji held onto every word that came out of your mouth. a part of him was relieved that this wasn't about him.

"i didn't want a fucking cake... i didn't want a cake, i just wanted them..." your breath hitched.

"you spend half of your life raising a child in the cruelest way... your last words to each other end up being an argument and... your last words to me were nothing..."

toji felt a knot in his stomach. he watched megumi leave and go back to their apartment. he was torn between his kid, disturbed on the eve of his birthday and the woman he was cradling, on her birthday...

as the echoes of your cry faded, they left behind a heavy, oppressive silence. only your shaky breath could be heard. he sat beside you, his eyes searching for the right words as you wiped away the tears that had traced down your cheeks.

"birthdays are supposed to be happy, ya know..." he whispered to you, as gently as he could. as if the wrong words would shatter you.

"they're also supposed to be spent with family apparently..." you said, gritting your teeth. toji didn't know what to say... he wanted so desperately to talk to her. but how do you even say something at a time like that?

megumi's small steps echoed in your living room. both of you looked at him. you felt like bawling your eyes out and toji simply smiled at his son.

megumi carried a small plate with a loaf of bread sitting atop, two tiny candles buried in it, their flames flickering in the dark room. he stood in front of you, holding out the plate to you with his tiny hands.

you held the plate, placing your hands on his. you glanced at the clock, which was seconds away from midnight. you blew one candle, covering the other with your palm. and when the clock struck 12, megumi blew the other candle out.

"happy birthday, gumi," you put the plate down and hugged him. he wrapped his tiny hands around you, resting his head on your shoulder. "happy birthday, y/n," he said softly.

hours passed by as you talked to toji about your unforeseen disappearance. megumi had fallen asleep in your lap and you stroked his head. you told him about your 13th birthday, your parents death in a car crash... you left some things off the conversation. oh, how toji felt each word you said. he knew how ruthless families could be. his own was never kind to him. he told you about his scar in return, and how he felt insecure about it.

"it's kinda hot, if you ask me." seemed like you were back to being your normal self.

toji smirked. "i know. you wouldn't stop kissing it last night."

you smacked his chest with the back of your hand. but it brought you two to that conversation. toji wanted it off his chest.

"i like ya."

you looked at him, taking a shallow breath.

"not just 'cause we made out yesterday. i'm the worst person to talk about feelings and shit to, but... i got 'em. for you." toji was done with it. he didn't want to stretch it any further. not after the day you'd had.

you opened your mouth to speak but he cut you off, "sit with it for a while. ya don't need to answer me right now."

toji picked megumi up from your lap, carrying him in his arms. he pressed a soft, patient kiss to your lips. "belated happy birthday," he said against your lips, got up and left, leaving a large hole in your door.

[ambient song y/n might vibe to: jeene mein aaye maza, by ankur tiwari]

you wandered aimlessly in the convenience store, picking up things and putting them back where they didn't belong. you circled the whole store thrice until the cashier asked you if something was wrong. paying for cheap beer and rice crackers you didn't even want, you left the store.

you walked home in the evening, head in the clouds. (a cloud shaped like toji)

he liked you. his words hammered in your mind like construction workers at the crack of dawn. girls usually felt giddy after hearing a boy confess to them. the fuck were you feeling? and why was it some kind of diarrhoea? you mind went back to how you'd kissed and how good it felt. there was no doubt that you found him attractive. you liked spending time with him. but did you like him? what even would you do if you did? date him? be his girlfriend? mother to his child? how did one go about dating an older man? if anything, he'd end up with another child.

you walked by a park, watching children playing (mostly falling), building sandcastles in the pit (and falling on them), running around chasing nothing (and falling), scurrying into their parents' arms (guess what).

did you want to be that to megumi? because being with toji meant being with megumi and being responsible for him.

you sat down on the pavement, sipping on beer that tasted like toothpaste, pondering over what kind of life you'd build for yourself. you were not interested in hook up culture. committed relationships were made to sound like life imprisonment sentences. the titles didn't apply to you and especially him. what would being with toji even look like? once your little quinn project comes to an end, what then? would he grab the cash and bolt? would he stay? would he stay anyway?

the more you sat and thought about it, the more things blurred. you thought it best not to overthink it. he did tell you to not rush an answer. but you were not the most patient of all people. the one thing you disliked was how things get awkward every time someone confesses their feelings out of the blue and the other has to be the dealbreaker.

you decided to do the rest of the thinking at home. the city was twinkling with christmas lights and decorations. it was always a wonderful sight to see. it made you want to travel to a quaint countryside only to realise your long lost love for the holiday season and family values as you broke into song about reuniting with your childh-yes, that hallmark movie.

when you entered through the gate to your building, you spotted megumi near the postboxes. a very uncomfortable megumi... in the arms of a woman you'd never seen. she looked rich. fur coat, pradas, sunglasses that covered her whole face like a covid shield. megumi so didn't want to be held like that. your gaze fell on toji, who... drumroll... had the exact same expression as his kid. as you walked in that direction you could hear the conversation.

"he likes me, don't you think?" PLEASE that's what rich people sound like?

"just put him down," toji sighed.

"no, i'm gonna steal him!!!" she giggled, shoving her face into megumi. he flinched and pushed himself away from her.

"aww, he's so playful... toji, why don't you invite me over for a drink?"

megumi wiggled like a worm in her arms, trying to escape her grip. he twisted like a pretzel until she had to put him down. but she held onto his hand tightly. that didn't go unnoticed by toji who was growing angrier every passing minute.

"come on... it'll be fun," she sneered.

"i gotta look after my kid." that was all he said.

"i'm sure he won't mind... right meggy? you'll let daddy and i play for a while, right?" megumi tried to pry her hands off, but she tugged at him harshly.

suddenly, all the diarrhoea made sense. the blur cleared. your eyes narrowed as you observed the audacious scene unfolding before you. something in your head snapped and you took purposeful steps towards her, and offensive gaze locked, devoid of any remorse.

swatting her hand off of megumi's, you put the kid behind you protectively. in a millisecond, your hand swung with conscious thought, as you smashed the beer bottle on her head. the glass shattered on her scalp, cutting through the background noise like a warning shot.

"not. your. kid."

caught between shock and appreciation for your sudden defence, toji covered his curled mouth with his palm. he looked at megumi, who stood behind you, holding the ends of your jacket. the kid looked back at his father, smirking mischievously. toji turned his cackling laughter into an asthmatic cough.

the woman couldn't take a hint even when it hit her in the skull.

"who do you think you are?"

"how dare you hit me? do you know who i am?"

"i'm talking to you!!! hello!!!??"

you let her run her mouth. you weren't interested in what she had to say. you looked down at megumi. you could see the faint red strip that circled his wrist. you knew how manipulative it was to use toji's kid as a means to get to him. you already befell his threat. but you understood it all of a sudden.

the honest urge to protect your kid.

the woman eventually stomped and left, mouthing cuss words at passersby.

"so... care to explain what that was?" asked toji, folding his hands, looking at you with fascination.

"my answer," you said with a smile as you held megumi's little hand, rubbing the back of it with your thumb.

toji smirked proudly.

"what happened here?" asked the building watchman, who heard about the act of violence from others who witnessed it.

"nothing interesting,"

"they're saying you harassed a woman," he was quick to throw an accusing glance at toji.

"nonsense! just some personal drama," you interrupted. "that's the father, this is his son."

"and that's the unholy spirit..." toji mumbled to the guard, earning a death glare from you.

the three of you walked towards the elevator. you handed megumi the rice crackers you bought and he wasted no time in digging in. toji put his arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer as he whispered in your ear, "what does a fella like me have to do to see you smash another bottle again?"

"flirt with another woman and i'll gladly smash one on your head."

toji's deep chuckle vibrated in your ear.

megumi dragged you inside their house to show you his new sketches. he'd really outdone himself. he'd also made his father hang all the small drawings on the christmas tree they had in their living room. toji was glad that he'd found something to occupy himself with. not that he didn't want to spend time with the kid, but seeing him not get overly attached to a single parent relieved the giant weight on his shoulders.

"mmm! gumi, i have a gift for you."

megumi trotted to you like a puppy, eyes twinkling like stars.

"you're gonna spoil him."

"correct."

you gave him a cd. "i wrote you a song." megumi clutched the cd like a prized trophy. he opened the case and showed his father the cd. you'd chased down your producer's sales guy to put one of megumi's sketches as the cd cover.

"when did you even have time to do this?"

"last night. and today morning."

"you didn't sleep?"

you looked away from him, perfectly expecting a fatherly scolding. instead, toji just chortled. he left megumi to listen to your song on a loop as the two of you went to your apartment. (sorry megs, but this is a toji x y/n)

you closed the door, swearing that the hole where your doorknob used to be was getting bigger by each minute. not a moment later, toji had his arms wrapped around you, his mouth on yours. you dropped the grocery bags on the floor and threw your hands around his neck. bumping into nearly every piece of furniture along the way, you sauntered into your room, lips glued to each other. he kissed you like it was the last thing he could do in the world and you kissed him like it was the first thing you wanted to do before anything else.

"mmm... hold on," toji pulled away momentarily and said, "promise me one thing."

"what?"

"you don't disappear when shit hits the fan. you come talk to me."

you felt guilt churn inside you, recalling how you'd left toji and megumi to wonder what 'they' had done wrong to make you go distant.

you nodded. "i promise."

toji held you in his arms for a while, taking a look at your face. he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear and you winced.

"ow! careful, i just got my ear pierced."

toji raised his eyebrows. he pushed your hair aside and saw a helix piercing, the edge of your ear pink and slightly swollen.

"that looks like it hurt."

"oh, it did."

"then why'd ya get it?"

"i always get piercings on my birthday."

"why?" toji honestly didn't understand this form of self-harm.

"what can i say, buddy, i love getting stabbed..." you said plainly, backing away and took your shoes off.

toji snorted a laugh at your comment. "masochist."

"aww, big man uses big words now..." you said, keeping your shoes under your bed. toji simply slapped your ass.

"sadist."

"by the way, i added some background noises to our recording. it sounds so good!"

"oh? let's hear it then," said toji, sitting down on your bed. he was glad to see you be your usual confident self. last night had him tensed with worry. even though he wasn't the source of your pain, he couldn't imagine how lonely you must've felt spending your birthday crying as life wickedly toasted to your parent's death, scarring the one day you were supposed to own with pride.

you made him listen to some excerpts, but ended up talking over them anyway, excitedly telling him how smartly you had edited some things. he just watched you with a small smile. whenever you turned to face him, his eyes fell on your piercing. he counted how many you had. nine. marking nine years of an anniversary nobody would want to remember like this. four piercings on each ear and one in your nose. did you really need the pain to validate your broken heart? did it make you feel like you deserved it?

he dismissed those thoughts from his head. it was your decision. and you bore it like an ornament, and not a scar. plus, he now that he fully took your face in, he couldn't deny hot incredibly hot those piercings looked on you. the thought of you sitting through that and showing off your piercings made his stomach flip. seriously, how much more hot could you get?

as if to answer his question, your recording played in his ear, some scene at a party with your characters failing to keep their hands to themselves. his voice blended with yours like the perfect duet. the way you spoke, changing your tone, pitch, hell, even your little laugh to suit your character made him feral. he wanted to hear you more. but not for some recording. he wanted to hear you for himself.

the moment the recording ended, toji pounced on you, grabbing your neck, careful not to hurt your ear as he kissed you roughly. you gasped, but melted on the spot. you liked where this was going anyway. toji moved his lips along yours, nibbling at you mouth. he let you catch a breath, before shoving his tongue inside, only for it to hitch again.

he pushed you into your bed, immediately hovering over you. he let his hands run up and down your legs. you hummed under his touch. he felt you shuffle underneath. he pulled away for a moment to watch you sneak your phone out of the pocket, finger pressed on a red dot.

"you wanna give your fans a show, baby?" he murmured.

"nuh uh, this is for me," you panted.

toji smirked. "gotta make this good then..." he peppered kiss on your neck, sucking on your skin. he could smell that god awful coconut perfume. to ease the weight his humongous body dumped on you, he shoved his knee between your legs, hoisting himself over you properly. you practically moaned in his mouth at the feeling of his knee rubbing against you. you had no idea what to do with your hands, so you just let them stay on your stomach lifelessly.

toji broke the kiss once more, chuckling at the whine that escaped from your mouth.

"so needy..." he growled, taking his shirt off with one hand. your jaw hung open as you took him in. the way he towered you even when sitting on his knees made him seem almost... monstrous.

toji only it thought it fair to get rid of your clothes too. he held your waist and pulled you to him, hoisting you on his lap. he took your jacket off, throwing it on the floor.

"be careful with the shirt. it's vivienne westwood."

"strip then."

slowly, taking the sweet time of your life, you pulled the shirt off, turning it right side up and neatly folded it, placing it at the far end of your bed.

"you done, sweetie?" he cooed in your ear.

"done."

"lovely. put your hands to use." he had you folded under him, back on the bed, kisses getting rougher, wetter, messier. you clawed at his shoulder, back, neck, chest, every part of him that you could touch. he licked a particular spot just under your ear that made you mewl in pleasure. like a vampire, toji bit your neck, causing you to moan softly.

his free hand unclasped your bra and tossed it away.

"would it kill you to not throw my clothes here and there?"

"thought you liked it violent, baby..." he murmured in your ear, biting a hickey on your neck. he kept switching between kissing your lips and sucking at your neck while he played with your tits, squeezing them, pinching them, kneading them like dough. he was right. they did fit in his hands perfectly. he latched his mouth onto one, making you squirm under him.

toji was absorbing your body. he felt bold; bold to take what he wanted from you. well, what he wanted was you. your body, your hips, your mouth, all of it. he wanted to show you just how desirable you were to him.

the hand that roamed your waist slowly trailed down your cargo pants. you didn't even realise when he took them off, but it was good anyway. less is more.

at an agonisingly slow pace, the tips of his fingers teased you over your panties. toji took a look at you, covered in his marks, lips pink and swollen.

he chuckled, "just how many of these stupid panties do you have?"

"I FUCKING KNEW IT. PANTY THIEF!" you smacked his abs.

"they're mine now," toji murmured as back away, spreading your legs apart with his hands, grabbing at your thighs. he kissed your inner thigh languorously making his way down to your wet cunt. he took your panties off, once more putting them back in his pockets. he dipped two of is fingers inside slowly, as if he was learning about your body. he watched your every reaction, every quiver, every hitched breath as he took his time and prepped you for himself. he curled his fingers at an optimal spot and like a cat on heat, you mewled and your legs shut tight around his hand.

"uh uh uh, i need these legs wide open, darling." he knew how much you liked it when he said that. when you didn't spread them, he smacked a hard slap on your hip, causing you to gasp and giggle as you did as directed.

"don't be a brat."

"or what?"

toji didn't retort. instead, he dove straight into your cunt, painting your insides with long strokes with his tongue. he paired it with his forefinger running up and down, inside and out, pushing against your clit. hearing you whimper and pant just made him want to tease you. recording all those dirty audios with you had him gain a mind in the game. like an illusionist, his hands disappeared and he pulled away, making you pine for him.

"toji fushiguro, i will smash a bottle on your head if you ever take your mouth off me like that again..." god, you sounded so sexy.

"ya know... it makes my dick hard when you talk to me like that."

you crunched forward and grabbed his hair, pulling him back to your pussy. toji chuckled, resuming eating you out like a man starved for days.

"oh i bet it does," you said breathlessly, throwing a few more slurred taunts his way. toji extended his free hand and shoved two of his fingers in your mouth.

"put that mouth to use, brat." he groaned in pleasure feeling your tongue swirl around his fingers, sucking them, gently biting them whenever he lapped at your cunt the right away. even with his fingers stuffed in your mouth, he could hear your muffled moans loudly. he sped his pace, slipping his fingers in and out of you, lapping at your core. he felt you clench and he took it as an open invitation to increase the pressure. you let out a long, stretched moan as you gushed all over his chin.

"is this what you ladies call girl dinner?" toji took his fingers out of you, licking them and tasting you, smacking his lips.

you laughed, throwing your head back.

"ugh, shut up."

"make me," you commented, practically waltzing into the man's next plan for you. toji's hand wrapped around your throat as he pulled you up as if you weight nothing. he got off the bed, standing in front of you as you were on all fours.

"gladly," toji slid his pants and boxers down, freeing his hard-as-a-rock girth.

"this isn't fair, toji," you cried at the size of it.

"i know, baby..." he gripped your chin with his fingers, nearly crushing your jaw. you looked up at him and seeing you on your knees for him lit a fire within him.

playfully you licked his wet lip like a kitten...

"cute. but that's not gonna cut it, sweetheart."

"i'll have you know i won the popsicle eating contest in my college..."

toji chuckled, holding his cock out to your face and smacked it against your lips. "gonna keep me waitin'?"

you took his head in your mouth, swirling your tongue around it, letting the tip run between the faint slit. you bobbed your head a few times, adjusting to his length and width. you'd be grateful to have a jaw left by the time you've sucked him dry. you took his length in your, stroking what you couldn't. you felt his cock twitch and pulsate in your mouth.

"god, you're doing so well..." toji reached forward, accidentally thrusting more of his dick in your mouth, making you whimper. he picked up your phone, which had been recording every lewd sound you made and he held it by his hip. "you sound so... fucking perfect, baby... gagging over my dick like that."

he pushed your hair aside, gripping it tightly as he pushed your head further in, moaning at how good it felt to have you take damn nearly all of him.

"fuck... shit.... s' good" toji let a buffet of grunts and moans spill out of his mouth. first, because he you took him that well, and second because he wanted you to get off to his voice, just like he did to yours. he began thrusting into your mouth faster, feeling his release creeping its way up. had he known how easy it was for him to come just by getting a quick blowjob, he'd have put more work into the foreplay. but fuck, he loved every damn moment of it. how your mouth was wet and warm, how your pointed tongue knew just where to lick, how your cheeks hollowed to pull him in.

"keep going, baby... i'm almost there," he panted, closing his eyes and letting his head fall back, hips moving at a brutal pace. his mind went to you eating a popsicle for some reason and he laughed, paving the way for a guttural moan that rumbled through his mouth as he came into your mouth. you closed your eyes, letting the uncomfortable feeling pass away as you managed to swallow the barrel full of cum he just shot into your mouth.

toji pulled out, feeling euphoric. he was completely obsessed with you. he wanted to take your right there. he wanted to be inside you. fuck, he wanted to see how loud you could get for him.

a knock on your main door and a small voice calling out to toji snapped you back to your senses.

"what a cockblock," toji sighed.

you threw a pillow at him. "that's your adorable birthday boy you're talking about!"

toji changed back into his clothes, refusing to give you your panties back, earning another pillow to his face. he looked at you to make sure you still didn't have second thoughts about him. but there you were, effortlessly moving around the room, picking up the pieces of clothing he'd tossed here and there. he loved how much fun you had doing all these things with him. it made the experience twice as much worth it.

you changed into your pyjamas and led toji out of your bedroom.

"does it say 'juicy' on your ass?" he said, reading the glittery text on your pants.

"ya bet it does," you smacked your own ass, proud of your sense of fashion, no matter how ridiculous it was.

"gonna fuck that ass someday."

"fix my door first." you peeked through the hole in your door, looking at the top of megumi's hair.

you opened the door to see megumi standing in his pyjamas, holding his demon dog, yawning.

"awww, sorry for keeping your dad for so long."

megumi yawned again, nodding.

"she sang a song for me too, you know..." said toji, picking up his sleepy kid, giving you a wink. you kicked his ass, making him stagger out of your house.

"good night."

"good night..." you smiled at the two.

ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ✩‧₊

TAGLIST: @kaininety2 @ruixrei @chicken-fifi @mrsfush1guro @szillx @queendessi24 @sillysillygoofygoose @shadowmoonlight0604

[imagining-in-the-margins]

Spencer Reid SFW | Fluff

To return to the S.R. SFW Masterlist, please click here. If you’re looking for my S.R. NSFW Masterlist, look here. If you're looking for my CM PolyAm Masterlist, look here. If you’re looking for Other MGG Characters, look here. If you’re looking for my Works in Progress, look here.

Works are separated by genre and gender of the Reader. Gender Neutral means that no gender identifiers are used.

Bedtime Stories on the Jet: Spencer and you share the jet couch.

Drunk Dial: It’s been years since Reader talked to Spencer, but after a bunch of drinks it seems like a really good idea.

Appalachian: Reader is tired of Spencer purposefully pushing their buttons and demands an explanation.

Play Dates: Reader finds out Spencer hasn’t had enough dates to play Best/Worst Date with the team and offers several Play Dates, but quickly realizes it’s hard to have a bad date with Spencer Reid.

It’s Personal: Reader reminds Spencer’s team that it’s never appropriate to ask someone for their age, even if they’re dating their coworker.

Style Theory: Fashion student Reader meets their favorite scholar and teaches him a lesson in self-love.

Quid Pro Quo: Spencer is entranced by the law student in his class.

Pipsqueak: The only thing shorter than Reader is their patience.

Fragile: Disabled!Reader. Spencer has to stay behind on a case and gets to know the new technical analyst.

The Perfect Plan: Reader has a question for Spencer, but things don’t go according to plan.

Kitten Love: Spencer’s vet begrudgingly agrees to an emergency house call.

Pair of Aces: This Pride month, Reader decides to share something with the team.

Battle of the Houses: Reid accidentally gets trapped in a Hogwarts House War with Reader, Jack, and Henry.

Like Father, Like You: Child!Reader. Platonic. In which Spencer’s child comes out as not-straight.

More fics below!

Astraphobia: SSA Reader and Spencer share their most embarrassing fears.

What Goes Up: Spencer breaks the Magician’s code for a very adorable exception.

Different Dialects: Autistic!Reader. Spencer is trying to tell Reader he likes her, but it feels like they speak entirely different languages.

Impromptu: Reader learns some shocking news when a case lands her in the hospital.

Soulmates: Spencer comes to a conclusion during a late night with Reader.

Intentions: Spencer’s teenage daughter wants to have a conversation with you about your intentions with her father.

Studious Shadow: Reader’s crush won’t stop avoiding her at work and she thinks he might hate her.

Painting by Numbers: Spencer is still a little worried about his pregnant wife painting the house.

The Prodigy Path: At a parent teacher conference, Spencer and Reader explain their seemingly unorthodox parenting style.

Fairytales: Spencer comes home to his very tired wife and even more tired child who refused to go to bed without a bedtime story from their dad.

Stranger Danger: Reader is a single mother having a very bad day.

Fever Dream: Reader makes an accidental confession, which starts the most intense game of hide and seek.

Defining Family: Spencer finds out he’s a dad… to a twelve year old girl. Your twelve year old girl, who just broke into the FBI.

Devil’s Advocate: Spencer’s been hooking up with the defense attorney in secret. At some point what was purely physical turned into something else.

Honeysuckle Hair: Spencer has some words to say about Reader’s curly hair.

Four in Hand: Spencer needs help with his tie.

Funny Thing Fate: Autistic!Reader is tipsy and lost in D.C. when she spots a man she thinks might be able to help.

Java Jive: Spencer and Emily take a break at the local coffee shop and she makes an understandable mistake about barista Reader and Spencer’s relationship.

Mister Spencer: Reader has a crush on her child’s teacher.

Comme des Garçons: Reader chooses an interesting way to finally confess to dating Spencer.

Pumpkin: Spencer can’t handle how cute Reader’s southern accent is.

Practice Run: Spencer and Reader take on Derek’s challenge to babysit.

Dead Air: Professor Reid is hesitant to be a guest on his old student’s true crime video series, but is surprised to find it’s not so bad.

Serendipitous: Spencer’s pretty sure Penelope mixed up his blind date.

Maddening One, My Goddess: Spencer has a one night stand… on February 13th. The next day, he is confronted with a familiar face on his pre-planned double date.

Growing Pains: Spencer finds unfamiliar lingerie in the laundry. When he confronts his wife, he learns it belongs to their teenage daughter.

Bi the Way: Morgan learns something very interesting about Reid after he leaves his bag at his significant other’s house.

Pretty Boy: Spencer thinks you’re just the bully who likes to pull his pigtails.

Happy Hydrangea: TransMan!Reader. JJ is corrected in finding out Spencer has had a boyfriend for a while now.

Off the Top: TransMan!Reader.Spencer is driving his boyfriend crazy after his top surgery.

[alexanderlightweight]

cat boy Alec, with big fluffy ears and tail

-an excuse for magnus to call alec kitten? my favorite nickname magnus has for alec besides treasure and lovely... uh no thank you of course i'm not excited LET ME WRITES IT ALREADY BRAIN

i hope you enjoy this!

<3 lumine

maybe i'm a villain

is the title

-

Alec eyes the six shadowhunters that flank him and shakes his head, internally biting back his exhaustion.

“You’ll stay out here, until I’ve talked to Bane.” Alec orders and the hunters respond with concise, clear nods. Normally Alec wouldn’t detach from an official team — one sent from Idris no less — but as as head and Commander of New York, its Alec’s duty to pave the way for the clave.

Which mean this, meeting with the king of the East Coast for the very first time… and without even a hint of an invitation.

The clave has put Alec in perhaps, one of the most precarious positions he’s ever been in. It’s frustrating and insulting but the law is the law and so Alec will do the duty they’ve asked of him.

And then he’s going to go home to his Institute and write a detailed missive explaining every way the clave fucked up and ensure that every single Institute and clave elder sees it.

The clave is practically asking Alec to take the fall — ordering him to with fancy words and pretty calligraphy — and well, Alec always knew this was a possibility. He didn’t expect it — had been hoping it wouldn’t come to this — but Alec is still unmarried at twenty and has been finding ways to deny and ignore every single eligible candidate sent by his parents and the clave both.

So now, the clave has started to ask him for things that could — even by nephilim standards — be considered extreme.

They’re hoping to force him into a position where marrying is the better option but well… Alec would rather die on some convoluted mission for the clave than marry a woman.

As the clave is about to find out.

Alec will protect the hunters assigned to him to the best of his abilities, but they are not his hunters. They have sworn no oaths to him or he to them.

Alec will leave them if needed.

Their carnage and loss will be on the heads of the clave, not Alec and well, Alec’s has his own priorities.

Alec doesn’t disarm, but he takes only his sword and a dagger physically present. His quiver and bow will remain away until needed and Alec desperately hopes they won’t be needed during his meeting with Bane. If they are, it will already be too late for Alec.

—

Nephilim grace is the first thing Magnus tastes.

It’s a cool, almost glacier, presence. It moves nearly languidly through his subjects until it lingers on the steps to Magnus dais.

It’s with tempered curiosity that Magnus takes his first look at the nephilim intruder.

Soft.

It’s the first thing that Magnus catalogues.

Large, delectably looking cat ears with fur the color of an abyssal moth.

They’re elegant and pointed with little tufts that Magnus wants to curl around his fingertips and the crowd parts with a motion of his fingers. The hunter pauses at the foot of the steps and then slowly begins to ascend when Magnus crooks his fingers in demand.

He’s careful about it, hesitant without fear but a clear edge of wariness.

A predator entering another predators den… respectfully.

Magnus wants to feel if that fur and hair is as soft and lush as they look and then the hunter gets within a few steps and Magnus sees a thick, plush tail that is currently wrapped around a muscled thigh.

How sweet.

Magnus’ darling little hunter kept his tail to himself, not wanting others to touch him but also not making himself too large of a threat when entering Magnus’ territory. That he is clearly trying his best to not stand out or take up more attention than necessary.

It’s a pity then, that nothing he ever did would be enough to keep him from Magnus’ gaze.

— “I don’t often get strays in my domain.” Bane murmurs as he gets close and Alec feels the weight of Bane’s power — of his sovereignty — press down around him. Glamours have no place in Bane’s court. The fae and warlocks are all showing their marks and traits and Bane is no different.

His golden eyes are large and slitted, black and gold scales dapple his temples and his neck and his wrists and knuckles.

There are curled horned antlers coming from his head, golden veined and obsidian black and tapered to deadly points.

Alec swallows and stays where he is.

His ears twitch, flattening against his skull before he can help it.

No one thought to warn him how much Bane would be.

How gorgeous he is.

How powerful he is.

How glorious Alec would find him.

“Name and rank, little nephilim.” Bane tells him and for all that Alec knows he’s not small, he feels it in that moment, with the weight of Bane’s focus more encompassing than the entirety of the claves authority has ever been.

“Alec Lightwood, Head and Commander of the New York Institute.” Alec gets outside, throat tight in a way he doesn’t understand.

“You don’t have an appointment, Alexander.”

Alec hesitates, because he doesn’t hate the way that his name sounds when Bane says it and he also doesn’t want to argue with a Dominion king, especially not with one on their own territory.

“The clave asks for your pardon and that I be the representation between you and they. A team of six clave hunters, lead by myself, is requesting access to monitor and close a rift just past your wards.

“Do they think I’m incapable of taking care of my own territory?” Bane asks, voice even with a hidden danger that makes Alec’s mouth dry.

“No.” Alec says, because it’s definitely not that and also he’s pretty sure Bane won’t appreciate being told that this is probably Alec’s fault. That this encroachment on Bane’s territory is nothing more than the clave putting Alec in an unfortunate and almost impossible place.

Almost impossible, because they expect him to survive and immediately happily accept an engagement to ensure this never happens again.

There is a moment of pure silence and Alec wonders if he’d supposed to try and explain. Perhaps make something up or lie and he doesn’t notice how his ears fluff in annoyance before flattening against his skull when someone gets too close… it’s just. Alec doesn’t think it would be smart to lie to Bane.

“Come here, Alexander.”

—

After a moment of hesitation, Magnus’ hunter obeys.

As he gets even closer to Magnus and still further away from Magnus’ court, he relaxes.

It’s not much, but it’s enough that his tail slowly uncurls from him and Magnus catches the way the fluffy tip twitches, as if betraying Alexander’s anxiety.

And he is anxious.

Oh he’s hiding it well, but Magnus would only expect an idiot to feel confident and Alexander is quite clearly, not an idiot. Though he is something and considering the fact that Magnus has lived long enough to recognize when the clave is trying to subtle punish their active hunters. The clave likes to use downworlders to do their dirty work, but Magnus has never enjoyed being the clave’s tool.

“I think we can negotiate something between the two of us, personally.” Magnus promises and it earns him a nearly silent sigh of relief.

It’s a pity that relief won’t last for long.

“However even negotiations have a price—” Magnus smirks at Alexander’s suddenly narrowed eyes, “I may be known for my indulgences. Even the clave is quite aware of them.” Alexander grimaces but doesn’t deny it, “but I am not a gracious man. Therefore, if I’m going to let a pack of the clave’s miserable little beasts rampage through my territory, then I want something in return. I don’t do charity cases, Alexander.”

“Your price?” Alexander asks quietly, hesitantly.

“The clave has nothing I want.”

“Then?” His hunter asks, knowing that Magnus wants something or he wouldn’t have started this path.

“You.” Magnus says simply. “The night is still young but already it feels long and I rather enjoy the thought of being able to enjoy the softness of a pretty kitten on my lap.” Alexander’s eyes widen and his mouth parts but Magnus tuts, shushing him. “It would be the start, to opening negotiations. After all, I wasn’t even sent a courtesy message to let me know you were coming.”

Alexander glares at the floor at that, his ears twitching with clear displeasure at the blatant insult dealt to Magnus and Magnus knows this blame can also be places at the feet of the clave.

Magnus thinks he’ll need to make himself more clear.

To point out that at this rate, Alexander in his lap is the least of what will get Alexander’s team out of here alive, then, like an actual stray kitten, Alexander warily approaches him.

—

Alec isn’t sure how he’s supposed to sit in Bane’s lap, but he does his best anyways.

Hands dusted with scales reach out to grip his hips, guiding him close and up until he’s got a knee on either one of Magnus’ thighs. With his runes and training there isn’t even a burn in his muscles, but oh, it burns to feel Magnus solid and hot beneath him.

“Good kitten.” Bane practically croons and then — without warning — fingers are rubbing Alec’s ears and he keens.

Alec can’t help it.

He can’t help the noises he makes or how he all but melts into Bane, dropping against him with shuddering sides as Alec’s nerves are teased and petted and cosseted with the live wire of feeling that his ears currently are.

It’s a moment of time where thoughts don’t work and he’s still trying to catch his breath when Bane rumbles.

Alec aches to respond in turn and he can’t help the tiny, bitten back chirp that crosses his lips or the softest of purrs that Bane compels.

“Shall we start negotiations then, kitten?"

[astra-galaxie]

🧸👻👽 🦾 💔 🎭😺💄😭😶 for russell crane please :)

(i promise to send a lot of sweets if russell starts speaking criminal facts in your ear)

I’m going to have to start charging you interest on your request to put up with Russell’s rambling!😉

And while I eat my candy, enjoy the headcanons!

🧸 A headcanon about their childhood

Russell had some of the strangest obsessions as a child. One of them being obsessed with silent, black-and-white films. Thankfully, they were allowed by the Utopians, so his parents let him watch them occasionally. Russell used to study the characters’ body language to see how they communicated without words. That's why he can easily pick up on people’s emotions just by watching their body language.

👻 A headcanon about what scares them

Letting people get close to him, both physically and non-physical. He doesn't like people touching him without his permission and hates being crowded around. Russell also fears letting people into his life and heart. He’s already been betrayed by people he trusted (aka the Utopians) and is scared of it happening again. Russell believes that if he doesn't let people get too close, it will hurt less when they inevitably betray and leave him.

👽 A headcanon about a weird quirk of there

Russell hates other people making his tea. No one ever gets it right or remembers how he likes it, no matter how many times he tells them. He will allow only four people in his life to make his tea without complaint and in order: his mother, Amy, his father, and Yann. His mother took her tea similarly to him; Amy paid diligent attention to how he liked it and made it her mission to remember the order; his father used to make Caroline’s tea and would also make Russell’s when he was too small to do it himself; Yann always takes the time to learn people's likes and dislikes, and while it took a couple of tries, he eventually got it right and continues to do so.

🦾 A disability headcanon

He has OCD. Everything has a place, and everything should be in its place when it is not in use. He also has to perform certain tasks in specific orders, or else he’ll need to restart. For example, he has to grab everything he needs in a specific order before he leaves his house. So even if he were to find his keys before his wallet, he wouldn’t grab them until he had his wallet, even if it would save time.

💔 An angsty headcanon

Russell used to collect coins when he was a kid. He stopped collecting them after the Utopian leader deemed no members could have unapproved hobbies, and unfortunately, collecting coins was not one of them. Russell was forced to get rid of or spend the money and was forbidden from collecting them again. After the Utopians were dissolved, he slowly began collecting coins again. Amy’s the only one who knows about the collection, as he’s scared that if others find out, he’ll be forced to get rid of them again. She’s never told anyone and gives him any unique coins she finds to add to his collection.

🎭 A headcanon about what they lie about

He was a child actor. Many Utopians pursue careers in acting, and even more put their children into the spotlight. Russell never had any significant roles and usually served as a background character. But there were a few movies where he was a recurring character. Thankfully for him, those movies weren’t very popular, so no one recognized him from them. Someone once questioned him about it, thinking they’d seen him in a movie or show before, but Russell managed to deflect their suspicions by saying he used to do commercials, and that’s probably where they knew him from.

😺 An animal related headcanon

Russell had a pet cat when he was a child. Technically, it was his mother’s cat, which she had owned for years before he was born, but the cat loved Russell as if he were her kitten. Where Russell went, the cat was never far behind. She was his protector, and Caroline took many pictures of the two together. Sadly, the cat died of old age a couple of years before Russell escaped the Utopians. To this day, every time he sees a fluffy white cat, he thinks of his childhood pet and his mother.

💄 An appearance headcanon

Russell is a stickler for cleanliness and good hygiene. While he’s not an overly vain man compared to others in Pacific Bay, Russell is guilty of taking extra care of his hair. He hates having his hair a mess and uses special products to maintain his waves and keep his blond hair looking shiny. Amy always tells him he loves the smell of his shampoo, making Russell smile every time she compliments his hair.

😭 A headcanon about the worst thing that happened to them

When Brad Belinsky kidnaped Russell, he was nearly strangled to death by the hypnotized strongman. When Brad captured him in a headlock, he squeezed Russell’s throat so tightly that he cut off the profiler’s oxygen supply. Russell struggled to get free by hitting Brad’s arm, but his attacks did nothing against the wall of muscle. Thankfully, Brad lightened up after he put a gun to his head, but Russell struggled to breathe until he was rescued. The following day, he woke up to a bruise across his throat, and he covered it with makeup to prevent worrying his teammates.

😶 A random headcanon

He’s lactose intolerant, and that’s one of the main reasons why no one is allowed to make him tea: they use regular milk instead of an alternative. The first time Amy took him to get ice cream, he didn’t know how to tell her he couldn't eat it. Thankfully for his bowels, the shop had lactose-free options, so he was safe. After that, Amy always ensures she takes him to shops with lactose-free options and keeps a tub of his favourite ice cream in her freezer for when he visits.

(Astra looks up from her candy)

Oh, we’ve reached the end of the headcanons? Sorry, I got distracted eating candy!😋

Thanks for the request and candy, my gremlin child!

[the-rest-of-what-remains]

What type of did does Icyrain have? Like, are his alters different people or more aspects of his personality? also, do they have names? Is Icyrain the host or just the collective name they all go by?

Icyrain's DID is very heavily based on my own DID, so I can't really tell you if it's a specific type or not, but below the read more is all the information about him, how he developed DID, and his alters! And this is the reference for how they all view themselves. While fronting in the dark forest, you can occasionally see flashes of their faces, especially when they're emotional. Only First Star feels dysmorphic about being in Icyrain's shape, but that's because he's used to being giant and having horns. Paws has issues walking when fronting because them paws too big.

Icyrain was victim to "kitten snatching", a tactic that started when numbers became scarce in Huntclan. Originated by Ravenstar (and even the tactic used to get Midnightstar, his son), warriors were encouraged to find romance outside of the clan and then kill the partner to take the kits. Sometimes though, they'd find single parents out on the territory to steal from instead. His mother was killed, and he was brought to Huntclan as an orphan at only a moon old. He was cared for only as an asset to train, and he developed DID to protect himself from the rigorous repeated abuse he faced during his "apprenticeship". He's the host and most of the time he's fronting unless something triggers one of his alters to front.

Iris was the first alter to split, being an introject based on distant memories of his mother before he forgot. She's an ideal caretaker, gentle but informative with a natural talent for medicine. Iris cared for the kits until they were big enough because Icyrain had this intense fear of accidentally hurting them. She has the best connection with Icyrain, causing the least amnesia when she switches in. She's often trying to co-front in some amount like a mom watching her kitten play.

First Star split during the intense training sessions he was forced to endure. Based off the idea of the very first leader, a dream Icyrain had frequently about a kind and just but immensely powerful leader. First Star is methodical and skilled in combat but has a very strong moral compass and often polices other alters to ensure they don't lose sight in their morals. He's not very good with words, remaining stoic and aloof. He believes very strongly that there is good in the world.

Paws was split during a very confusing time in Icyrain's life. He had for the most part been able to avoid confronting the situation through dissociation, but to remain unaware of it while trying to raise children wouldn't be ideal. In an effort to not lose that innocence when Icyrain began to confront everything, Paws formed. He's goofy in all the ways that Icyrain lost, obsessed with species of bugs and especially ants. The rest of the system works to protect him, so he doesn't front very often. Think of bug like a representation of the childhood Icyrain lost, able to be protected and cared for despite everything.

Softnight split when Icyrain became tasked with more and more things. He was almost always alone, doing menial or intense work, dissociating during it. Softnight formed to deal with them, working long into the night without much of a word. She's selectively mute and sensitive to noise. She was absolutely thrilled to learn pawspeak, like a part of her had been missing without it. She's unfortunately the least connected with Icyrain, and he has absolutely no memories of what she does.

Icyrain has no word for what he experiences, simply referring to the voices that seemed to stick out from his own thoughts as his "thinking buddies". The body is collectively referred to as Icyrain during life, but in the afterlife, things get a little weird. While they can never separate from him as all part of the same soul, fronting alters can influence the appearance of the soul now that they're not bound to a real body. Quartzpaw and Opalglow learn their names to go along with the flashes of their faces after the initial fright. Lots of "ooooh, that makes sense now" ensues. Opalglow has a bit of a harder time understanding it because she relies on Icyrain emotionally and it makes her distressed when he's not there. Being able to communicate properly helps though, and it does comfort her that she now knows that Icyrain wasn't changing his personality on her on purpose, it was just his alters fronting. Softnight and Opalglow get along. Quartzpaw doesn't notice at all, all of these alters helped raise her, they're all fun playmates. She thinks First star is the coolest guy ever because he's so good at dueling, but he monologues too much before remembering Quartzpaw is deaf. She thinks it's funny to watch him blabber and then look mortified when he remembers.

They're ultimately parts of Icyrain that formed to protect him, and the idea of separating themselves from him make them all deeply uncomfortable. Now that Icyrain doesn't need as intense protection, they're able to both discover themselves and turn their attention to protecting Paws.

[autumnmobile12]

The Summer Camp Ambush Simulation: Behind the WIPS: Deleted Scene from Ch 4

Okay, so originally the plan for the meeting in Chapter 4 was the Vanguard and UA teachers were going to have a falling out over what to do about Toga: UA arguing Toga's too young to take part, Vanguard firing back with how stupid that is.

And that was going to result in negotiations breaking down and UA deciding, "Well, since we can't agree, we might as well arrest the Vanguard once and for all," leading to an all out fight between the UA staff and the Vanguard.

Except in typical UA fashion, it's just a test.

Three reasons why this got deleted:

The whole plot of Ambush Simulation is the events of the Summer Camp Arc was just a test and pulling the same trick twice in one fic would've made it repetitive.

A situation where the UA staff is 'testing' the Vanguard is redundant. Everyone already knows they're a pretty formidable group. Granted, this could have been some payback for all the trouble they've caused over the years but...

I really didn't want to write anymore fight scenes than I had to, plus the chapter was getting long.

However, I did save some of the notes from that part and I want to share those interactions, so here is some of the deleted section:

...

“I trusted Mr. Aizawa’s judgment when he recommended the seven of you for this task,”  said Nezu.  “But now I fear we have reached an impasse.  You are determined to not leave your young friend behind and while that is admirable, we simply cannot allow a high school student to take part.  Especially not without a parent or guardian’s permission, which from what I hear of Miss Toga’s circumstances, that will be unlikely to obtain.”

“Well, since they’re no longer of use to us,”  Miss Midnight rose to her feet, and Himiko realized she now had a crimson whip pulled taut across her shoulders.  “What do you say we finally put an end to the Vanguard Action Squad.  They’ve been a public nuisance long enough, don’t you think?”

“Sounds good to me,”  said Mr. Eraser.

Himiko whipped her head around.  What?

“Oh, hell, you gotta be fuckin’ kidding me!”  Shuichi shouted.  “We were set up?”

“What a devious twist,”  Atsuhiro huffed.  “I suppose that’s what comes of trusting Pro-Heroes, isn’t it."

Only Tenko seemed to be remaining calm, glaring daggers at the Principal.  No, not at him.  At Mr. Yagi?  The skeletal man clenched his jaw and turned away, almost as if he were about to cry.  What was going on?  Were he and Tenko friends?

“You better run, little kittens,”  Miss Midnight was saying in her sultry voice.  Her whip cracked against the floor.  “Tell you what, I’ll give you a headstart before I start my pursuit.”

...

“This doesn’t make any sense,”  Magne was yelling.  “Why go out of their way to drag us all here?  They know where we live!  They could have apprehended us at any time!”

“It doesn’t matter now,”  Touya snarled.  “Fuck, I can’t believe we were so stupid.”

This is hurting,  Himiko thought.

“I think it does matter,”  said Tenko.

“What are you even talking about?  Even your uncle’s gone and betrayed you,” shouted Jin.

“That’s the thing, though.  He would never do that to me.”

...

“So that’s it?  It’s a test?”

Himiko looked around at the appalled expressions on her friends' faces, silent with shock until Touya finally muttered,  “I really need to be nicer to Shouto.”

“Okay, so it’s just a profiency test.  A demo,”  Shuichi conceded.  “How are we gonna handle the cement guy boxing us in like this?”

“Easily.”  Touya stood up.  “One of the main aggregates of concrete is sand.  That means it melts.”

“Are you mad?”  Atsuhiro grabbed his belt and yanked him back into a seat.  “Sit down! You’re going to turn this whole stage into a cremation oven if you do that!”

[an0nfr0mth3d3n]

QSMP ZOMBIE AU: The School

(whatever I’m adding the kids I don’t care)

Mr. MC, or just “Fit” as he insisted everybody called him, was stuck on detention duty on the day the world as he knew it ended. There were very few people in the building still, just Mr. Halo, Mr. Underscore, Principal Minecraft, Ms. Kitten, and Ms. Mouse.

Oh and the 10 troublemaking kids in front of him.

Well, 5 of them were technically innocent and waiting for their parents to take them home, but all in all these kids were pretty troublesome.

Fit sighed, leaning back in his cheap roller chair and propped his heavy boots up on the desk.

He was one of the more lenient teachers when it came to detention, and it showed.

Dapper and Ramon had been flicking tiny pieces of paper at each other, which had turned to large crumpled up pieces of paper, which had turned into pencils, and even an apple was lobbed back and forth a couple of times.

Richarlyson and Pepito (how a kindergartner managed to get detention was beyond him) were also beefing in the back in what was probably a friendly manner, although Fit did have to reprimand Richas for trying to smack his younger brother with a meterstick.

Leo was still chewing on bubblegum, refusing to spit it out even when threatened, and given, overtime at school. She, like Fit, also had her feet propped up on the desk tables, despite Fit having half heartedly told her off for doing so several times.

Fit rolled his eyes fondly at the antics of the kids in detention, and looked towards the back where the innocents were happily hanging out, waiting for their parents.

Sunny was doing some…color by number app on her iPad her father had bought for her, Empanada looking over her shoulder and snacking on her honey teddy grahams.

Pomme was busy writing in her journal. That girl sure had discipline when it came to journaling every day, Fit never saw her without the leather-bound book, a gift from one of her parents. Fit assumed she was here because Mr. Halo, the only American in the platonic French polycule that parented Pomme, was staying late grading some papers.

Tallulah had her recorder out, practicing the fingerings for the new song that Ms. Mouse had assigned for the class. She had a concentrated expression as her fingers danced along the instrument, silently miming out the song.

And Chayanne was…..

Fit furrowed his brow, sliding his legs off the table and sitting upright. Chayanne was staring out the window, a concerned expression on his face.

No, that wasn’t concern…

That was fear.

Fit stood to his feet, calmly stretching his back. No use in stressing out the kiddos, and if it was cause for concern, panic would only make the situation ten times worse. Still, he could feel the attention of 9 children on him as he calmly walked to the window, placing a gentle hand on Chayanne’s back, who jumped under the touch.

Fit cast his gaze out to the playground which the window was facing, and felt his stomach clench in fear.

There was a man stuck in the climbing bars of the playground structure, stumbling and gnashing his teeth. His right arm was twisted painfully out of place, caught in the bars of the structure, and his legs on every drunken step pushed to meet the ground, sometimes without even waiting for the foot to touch ground, foot bending to the side in a way that made Fit wince. Now that he realized, the man was making noises, loud, ragged, inhuman sounds that curdled around a bloodied throat, foam spitting from the mouth.

Chayanne tugged on Fit’s leather jacket, grabbing his attention.

“Mr. Fit, I’m gonna go find my Dad. I…left my lunchbox in his office.”

Fit pursed his lips. “…Okay. Be safe. Go straight there okay? The janitor waxed all the other floors so I would want you to get hurt.”

Chayanne nodded, understanding the hidden message, and took off.

Fit didn’t move from the window.

[raptorfae53]

Monster High Reimagined

Toralei stripe character bio/redesign

Toralei Stripe (they/he/she)

Harimau Jaidan daughter of the Stripe family (Chinese Malaysian-British)

(Lesbian)

A bad tempered,mistrustful weretiger adopted by a wealthy family of cat Yokai living in Britain, Toraleis had it rough. Abandoned as a young child they've been cycled through the foster system more than they can think and feel detached from their foster mother Caterina Stripe and her standoffish family as a result,being inducted into monster high on caterina’s father's warning of it being a last chance for the girl before being shipped off to a reform school. Toralei personally express their own feelings regarding all of their baggage through playing loud punk music with his band,the Hissfits (consisting of toralei themself on vocals and guitar and their cousins purrsephone and meowlody on bass and drums) much to the dismay of the half of the campus able to hear it.

Likes: punk subculture and music, playing guitar in her band,drama ,taking catnaps (often in class) and dairy products.

Dislikes: crates and enclosed spaces,people trying to tell him how to live his life,being short (5’3),digital only media and his adoptive grandfather and family (bar purrsephone and meowlody, misfits gotta stick together after all)

Killer style: Toralei's mother always insisted on her dressing "properly" to fit in with her family's smart image,since joining monster high however toralei has been rejigging these old clothes into something more "her style", that being punky Sukeban-inspired looks bound to irk her mum's sensibilities.

Familiar: Sweetfangs, a huge orange tomcat that toralei befriended during her childhood as a street kitten,who bears a passing resemblance to a sabretooth tiger and hates everybody but toralei,who in return spoils him.

Pet Peeve: Their adoptive mother, Ms Stripe's insistence on their education being top-priority. Toralei just doesn't know why she even bothers. They've never done well in school,and no students or teachers either human or monster ever put much stock in them either. In a few years both will be out of each others lives anyway,reform school or not,so why even care?

Freaky Flaw: Their self loathing. To say toralei has issues is an understatement,and said issues have manifested into a frustratingly self defeating look on life. To toralei though it's just how it is,she's had to be on their own for most of their life and fight to get what she wants without anyone helping,planting the idea early that it was simply because he wasn't worth helping,and regardless of the changes in her life recently she expects it all to be the same at monster high. After all,if the people who insisted they were there to help never did anything for toralei,why shouldn't this be true for this new lot?

Spooky Secret: Toralei has a very pronounced West Country accent (having grown up in devon) that he masks for fear it makes him sound too “farmer-y” with a pseudo-cockney one, regardless it tends to slip in times of high emotion,including during when they sing,but the fact that they're attending an American school means few are the wiser.

Dream job: Rocking out on the underground punk circuit and touring around the British isles when they're done with school,despite her Foster mothers disapproval and insistence on studying. Although another,more personal reason for this dream lifestyle being that through it toralei hopes to meet other Harimau Jaidan in the UK as well as maybe track down her birth parents on the road in-between shows.

Five Fearsome facts

Harimau Jaidan and by extent other types of werecat are a rare type of monster,even more so outside of their native Malaya and toralei has spent much of her life regardless of setting with this gnawing feeling of isolation. Even if she now has purrsephone and meowlody she's still the only one of her species at monster high,so the feeling of being alone in a crowd remains...

Toralei has a marked dislike for a lot of modern pop music,considering it too corporate and without any genuine message for her liking compared to punk and rock. (Although when their cousins aren't around he does listen to a few of his cousins Jpop CDs,don't tell anybody though…)

Aside from punk subculture,Toralei's other great love is dairy products, and beguiling their hard-edged image,ice cream,boba tea and other sweet treats rank among their all-time favourites. Toralei is also ragingly lactose intolerant but this doesn't stop him.

On top of singing and playing guitar for the Hissfits, toralei makes all of their bands merchandise ranging from badges and stickers to screen printed shirts and posters,and often incorporates some of it into her day-to-day outfits, arguing that actually the printing is intended to be wonky (it's not) and it wouldn't be properly punk if it weren't a little asymmetrical.

As a result of distrusting the model of digital only music distribution, toralei uses a lot of physical media to enjoy their music, using a physical CD player and distributing the hissfits music via burned CDs sold with the bands other merchandise. Toralei also uses said skills in making mixtapes for the people he cares most for in their life and casual Internet piracy.

Hello again everyone, I'm back with another one of these finally (and of one of my favourite monster high characters of all no less) + I'm also very close to finishing another profile so I doubt it'll be long before the next one of these is up,but anyways as usual, an explanation for my design choices:

Having previously drawn my version of toralei,whose design you can see here (hope to do more art of them and the rest of my monster high designs in the future btw) you probably already know that I've changed her monster type from a plain old werecat to a Harimau Jaidan, a were-tiger from Malayan folklore (Inspired by @jdoodlin amazing toralei design,who first introduced me to the Harimau Jaidan concept)

To keep it short, I never liked the "werecat" label, it felt a bit too artificial and I knew that there were multiple sorts of cat monsters from mythologies across the world that would make for much more interesting designs than just plain old cat people,hence why toralei is the only one of the 5 werecats to actually remain a werecat (well,weretiger). As for the others well, you'll just have to watch this space,as I have a whole smorgasbord of ideas for the twins,Catty and Catrine I can't wait to share with you all eventually in art and writing.

Anyways,hope you like this character bio,see you for the next one.

[bonefall]

Big question I have for the Tallstar kitten, where does Jake go at the end? If they are co-parenting, then does this child get separated from one of its parents? Would shake come visit? Did Tallstar and Jake have a messy breakup? It would make a very interesting parallel for Onewhisker, Tallstar proudly returning to the clan and claiming the kit as his

The child would very much get separated!!

Tallstar’s Collapse heavily involves the infamous BB!Heatherstar, and the death of tunnelling as she sacrifices it to advance the war with ShadowClan. Kitten or no kitten, the entire book is a lot more bitter as a result.

Tallkit grows up in a Clan that is a community. Palebird is loved and helped through her depression, Tallkit learns from all sorts of different cats. There's issues-- the war and Shrewclaw-- but this is home.

At the same time, he watches Sandgorse and the Tunnelers grow angry and desperate, realizing that Heatherstar is killing their tradition to make more fighters. It's likely that she, or one of her supporters, encourages Tallkit's fear of tunnels and division with his father.

Jake is freedom. He's a paw to offer him an escape from the drama and politics. To see that he does not have to live that way.

But the tragedy here is that Tallstar can't leave it behind. He loves his mom, his half siblings, Woolytail, his mentor, his friends... the moorland is home. Doesn't he have a responsibility to it? To serve WindClan and to fix its problems instead of running away?

WindClan is home. It's family. And Jake is family too but...

Without a kitten it ends here, basically. Tall decides to go home at this point. If he DOES have the kitten...

Then the kitten is probably adopted from parents who died, and that causes Tall to have a bit of an existential crisis. The idea of that is ALIEN to him, there's always someone in a clan to care for the kittens, community is the core of Clan life.

Even at its worst, even when Palebird couldn't take care of him, there was no question that he was loved and valued.

But here's kittens with NO family. If him and Jake and the Nomads hadn't found them...

He can't stop thinking about WindClan after that. The lessons he was taught, the gorse and the heather and the bounty it provides. Palebird and his new siblings, Heatherstar and her aging deputy. How this child he's raising would never know a trip to the moonstone or see its grandmother.

And most importantly; Talltail believes there is value in serving a Clan, and being put to the Stars in death. Where will he go? Where will Fly go??

But Jake does not want that life. He can see that his mate is growing unhappy, but he would be equally unhappy if he went with him. They love each other like a breeze loves a stone; try it might, the wind can't lift the rock.

So they have to part ways.

I think Jake visited for a few years after that, but abruptly stopped. The war grew more intense and it wasn't safe to visit anymore, especially as tensions between Clans got even worse. Tallstar chose his destiny, and Jake chose his.

[devilishlyhandsome123]

They Come Alive at Night

In honor of Halloween and Motionless in White's Werewolf video drop today, I figured I could write a Halloween, Shape-shifter, smutty horror fic 😍 so, without further delay!

Warning ⚠️: 18+ Only! NSFW, supernatural, shape shifter, Daddy Dom, semi non-con, biting, scratching, blood, animalistic and carnal! 🥵much needed after care on the way (pt2)! buckle up and enjoy the ride!

If you have triggers to blood play, keep scrolling.

Storyline set up ;) : you were supposed to go to the Motionless in White concert with your boyfriend and then to your parents cabin for the night. But he cancels on you last minute, telling you he's seeing someone else. So, you go to the concert, decked out in your shortest skirt and fishnets. You enjoy the show and even get to meet all the bands. You notice Chris's eyes following you everywhere you go after you get your picture with them. When you leave to go to the cabin, it's late and extremely dark out. The roads are empty. You get to your cabin and start a fire in the fireplace.

As you put up the screen to the fireplace, you stand up and go toward your room to change out of your concert clothes. You hear a bang on the window and rustling leaves outside. You stop dead in your tracks and listen. Nothing, just the wind. You brush it off and tell yourself not to be a sissy. You continue to the front door to make sure it's locked. When your hand gets to the lock, the knob turns. You freeze and as the door opens you take a step back getting ready to scream! But you see Chris standing in your doorway and you relax a little.

"Sorry to intrude Kitten. But you left this at the show." He steps in your cabin, swinging your jacket and closing the door behind him. He locks it without looking.

"Thank you." You say a little breathless and still scared. "You scared the daylights out of me."

Chris stalks toward you and you stand frozen. He leans down and whispers in your ear, "I can smell your fear mixed with arousal. You like to be scared, dont you?"

You back up, your eyes going wide. He grins and drops your coat.

"Where you going kitten?" He rumbles. "You can't hide from me love."

You turn and take off toward the kitchen. His legs are so much longer than yours and he catches up quick. You run around the table and he throws it out of his way. Pieces of it splinter as it hits the wall. Your heart races and your desire spiking. You trip and fall as you scramble backwards, your body shaking and your core heating. Its confusing you. Chris gets down on his hands and knees at your feet, grabs your ankles and pulls you toward him while he spreads your legs. He lifts a hand and looks at it. You hear a cracking noise as his fingers grow longer and his nails grow sharp. He smiles a wolfish, sharp toothed grin. He shakes his head a bit as his ears start to grow into points.

You whine and tears start to fall down your face. "Please don't hurt me."

"Oh, my little kitten, I'm not gunna hurt you. I'm gunna pleasure you. I know you want it, I can smell it seeping from your pussy. I could smell it at my show and i could hear your heart pining for me."

Chris puts a hand on your thigh and uses his nail to cut the fishnets off of you. You cry out as he nics your thigh. He shivers and leans down to smell your arousal. Then he licks the blood from your thigh and proceeds to rip off your undies. It rocks your body and he pulls you flat on the floor. He nips up your thigh and stops at your pussy. Your eyes go wide with shock as he licks you and you coat his tongue and lips in arousal. You groan at the site and throw your head back as he continues to lap at you. He is so attentive, licking and sucking and nipping in all the right places. He dips his tongue into your wetness. You can feel yourself getting close. He must too because when he pulls his tongue out of you, he sucks on your sensitive nub and then digs his fingernails into your skin; sending you into oblivion! You arch your back and scream out. He digs his other hand into your thigh so you can't go anywhere. Oddly enough, you body convulses a second time. You have a hard time catching your breath when he releases your legs and crawls up your body. His mouth is dripping with your desire and his eyes have changed to a bright yellow-gold color. It's a beautiful site to behold.

Chris fingers your corset, running his sharp nail along the material. He flips you over and you squeak in surprise. He cuts the laces and pulls your corset off, leaving you on your belly in just your skirt. He stands up and scoops you up over his shoulder. Walking down the hallway, you realize he's taking you to your bed. You start struggling, but you know he can smell your excitement. You can't help but think that there may be something seriously wrong with you. You allow your fear to overwhelm your excitement because you don't actually understand what is going on with Chris. He runs a finger down one asscheek and down your thigh. You stop squirming at the new sensation. It sends chills down your spine and you shiver. He gets to your room and throws you on the bed. You crawl up toward the top and watch him slowly undress. It's actually kind of hot to watch him take every piece off slowly.

He never takes his eyes off you as he removes his clothes. When he is fully nude except for his pants, he speaks. "When I smelled you at my show, I knew you would be mine. You may be wondering why I'm here and staking claim to your body. I have chosen you as my mate. It feels right."

You just stare at him.

He starts to push his pants down his hips and his erection springs free. You gasp. You always fantasized about him being naked, but never in a million years did you think he would be this big. Maybe it had something to do with the changes he did with his face and hands. He said, mate. Maybe Chris is actually a werewolf? You start to whimper as he pulls you closer to the edge of the bed and toward him.

"Don't be afraid my love. I promise it will hurt a lot, but only for a minute before the euphoria sets in." he purrs.

His mouth is on your body in an instant and his hands roam free before they grab your wrists and hold them above your head. Chris puts his free arm around your body and pulls you closer to him. He kisses you passionately and you're tempted to bite him but you're scared of how he will retaliate. You can feel him pressing against your entrance and getting ready to push in, but it feels like he's waiting for something. You surrender, wrapping your legs around him and pull him closer. He breaks your entrance and you cry out. He wasn't kidding. It does hurt a lot. Once he's sheathed all the way inside of you, he stops. You can feel every pulsing inch of him.

Chris looks at you and stares into your eyes, watching as tears silently fall down your face. "Ok Kitten, are you ready?"

"It's a little late to ask that, don't you think?" you blush.

Chris's smile fades and his back bows outward. You hear his spine cracking and crunching. He puts his hands on your shoulders to hold you down. You are screaming now because you can feel him grow inside of you and it's tearing you. Saliva starts to drip from his mouth as he begins to pump in and out of you. He doesn't shift anymore, but the pain it's causing you is almost unbearable. You can feel the blood drip down you. His claws digging into your shoulder and making you bleed more. He lowers his mouth to your neck and laps at the blood.

When you think that it can't possibly get any worse, he sinks his teeth into your shoulder and you scream out again. Your body is betraying you and his thrusts start to feel good. Your body is filled with a sense of euphoria and you feel like you are melding with him. You can't tell where you end and he begins. Your bodies dancing and writhing. Your screams turn into moans and Chris releases your shoulder from his bite. He kisses you and smears blood all over you. You don't care. Your body shakes and heats up as you approach climax.

....pt 2 coming later tonight because Tumbr keeps messing up my post. So, I'm putting the rest in a part 2...sorry for the cliffhanger yall!

[spotinthespiral]

I meant to post this like 6 hours ago but the file goofed 👀

Anyways, here's roughs of Captain Ironside and Young Jack! (As always, ramble below the cut!)

Like I said, these are rough designs for them! Ryan's only on lvl like, 36, and Young Jack is literally an npc I hyperfixated on because his plot is ridiculous. Ryan (Silent Ryan Ironside) is on the right, Young Jack on the left 👍

Refs and wip sketch:

So, lore ramble as I warned about:

Ryan has the Grizzleheim origin, and her parents were killed in a Mutiny. She's a Swashbuckler, and her First mate is consistently Subodai (horse Warrior). Ryan became a Mute after her parents were killed, and communicates with her crew solely through a complex system of tapping patterns, or simple hand signals. She's slow to trust, and is very loose with dropping people at the first sign of disloyalty, but she picks up her crew like they're each a stray sopping wet kitten. She's still a teen, so when they all joined her, they basically pulled "It takes a village to raise a kid" and the entire Crew works to boost her up as well as keep her safe.

Young Jack recap (w/o bias I hope) I'd that he's the nephew of a guy on the docks of Flotsam who went missing. You find him near the broken lighthouse, he's cursed, you hunt down the dude who made the curse and kill him. Give the head to Young Jack to keep him from getting zombified. Young Jack swears off pirating, and that's the last time he's seen.

Personal Explanation for the art above:

Ryan took the quest would really planning to follow through. She stumbled across Young Jack's trail by chance and found him injured and surrounded by undead. His old crew. She sympathized, and helped him back to his uncle, but Old Scratch and everyone else of Flotsam agreed that the boy was doomed to die of his curse by sundown. Only way was to kill this old immortal famous pirate, so Ryan did just that. She felt like she couldn't just stand down, and she killed the guy and presented it to Young Jack just before sundown.

Jack swore off pirating and retreated with his uncle back home, but I like to think Ryan kept in contact. Jack started work in the tavern, and Ryan made Flotsam her crew's go-to stop just to check in on Jack. They were friends, Ryan's first real friend, and got along swimmingly. Ryan taught him the codes and translations for her taps, and they bonded. (Currently they're still courting. Jack thinks she's just the coolest girl he's ever met, and she thinks Jack is reckless, but sweet.)

One time, I like to think just after Monquista, Ryan went to the tavern, only to get news that Jack had been kidnapped, by pirates, then the Armada. Ryan has a paralyzing fear of the Armada, but snuck away from her crew. She was trading her surrender for Jack's safe return. Ryan managed to send Jack back safe, giving herself up to Deacon in the process.

Jack, in my headcanon, has a giant slash scar across his face because of this incident. When he got back and tried to tell Ryan's crew what had happened, Subodai was furious. Subodai is basically Ryan's mentor and adoptive father, so when he heard what had happened his was in such great distress he didn't even think. He drew his sword and slashed Jack across the face without a second thought, before the crew could stop him.

Everyone ended up bannmding together to vet Ryan back in one piece, but that incident is what I think drove Jack to join Ryan's crew. If he remained away from her, he'd only be a dangerous outlier for enemies to use against her. Staying close let both of them be safer, and happier, despite how he swore off pirating not long ago.

Obviously Jack doesn't fight, he's not an npc I can pick up and take with me, so I like to think he's just kinda the housewife here. He keeps the ship and crew in order when Ryan's going onto land for extended periods of time. He also probably keeps track of Ryan's debts, favors owed, and things of that nature. Besides that though, they're just really close, and it's good that Ryan bonded with someone outside her crew for once, even if he ended up in the Crew in the end.